Jersey City Children's Theater and Nimbus Dance Works collaborate on a new summer performing arts program, JC Summer Arts, geared toward providing high quality instruction in dance, theater, and music, in a fun, creative and educationally enriching environment. The program draws on the expertise of Jersey City Children's Theater and Nimbus Dance Works in their respective fields in designing a program that immerses students in the performing arts. JC Summer Arts consists of a morning program, Bard Party: Shakespeare, Dance and Song (9:30-12:30am) for younger students ages 4-9 years, and for older youth (ages 10-17), Summer Dance and Acting Intensive. Where school year programs are often limited to one class per week, JC Summer Arts will lead to significant growth and development of skills only possible through this kind of immersive experience.

Both Jersey City Children's Theater and Nimbus Dance Works remain committed to making arts education accessible to youth and families regardless of financial means. Need-based scholarships will be made available on a first come-first served basis. Additionally, in partnership with the Jersey City Board of Education, the program will offer eight full scholarships to students from the Jersey City Public Schools who have demonstrated excellence and determination in their dance and theater studies.

The curriculum for JC Summer Arts was developed by Kathy Hendrickson, Director of Jersey City Children's Theater, and by Samuel Pott, Artistic Director of Nimbus Dance Works, with the assistance of expert teaching artists from both organizations. Priorities for the program include skill development and experience-building as well as personal growth in a fun and positive environment. Using a different Shakespeare play for each week of the program to provide a thematic framework, the morning session (ages 4-9) will embed communication, teamwork, physical coordination, and creative imagination skills into theater, dance and music classes. The afternoon sessions (ages 10-17) focus more specifically on skill development and include elective classes to allow specialization in students' area of interest. Guests from college performing arts program admission offices as well as industry professionals such as casting agents will round out this afternoon intensive program. Each week will include a final showing on Friday where students will have the opportunity to showcase their work for friends and family.

Says Samuel Pott of Nimbus Dance Works: "The JC Summer Arts program is a significant addition to the youth arts programs currently available in Jersey City because of the program's clear focus on skill development and it's curriculum design which will leave young performing arts students more confident, more creative and more competent. We at Nimbus are thrilled to build this program with Jersey City Children's Theater and profit from each other's areas of expertise."

Says Kathy Hendrickson of Jersey City Children's Theater: "We are overjoyed to be working with Sam and Nimbus Dance Works. It is clear that dedication to the arts education of the youth of Jersey City is paramount to both of our organizations. Our mission is only strengthened through this amazing collaboration. Students will be able to develop and hone skills in areas of Dance and Theater Arts and be taught by industry professionals all within the safe, respectful and playful, yet challenging environment."

Jersey City Children's Theater (JCCT), is a production and educational theater company using the seminal works of Neva Boyd, Viola Spolin and Paul Sills as its foundation. Boyd, Spolin and Sills believed in the power of focused play and theater games as perfect portals to direct experience, both onstage and in life. JCCT presents Story Theater (a narrative theatrical form, founded by Sills in the 1960s) performances and workshops to diverse youth audiences locally and nationally. The award winning Actor/Educators with Jersey City Children's have all worked directly with Sills, Spolin and/or Carol Sills (Paul Sills wife, who does annual workshops directly with JCCT), are industry professionals working both on and off-Broadway, in film and television, and have over 100 years combined conservatory teaching experience. In addition to presenting original adapted work of classic fairy tales fables and folklore, JCCT has worked with teaching artists and performers from India, Norway, Turkey, Sweden, Brazil, Canada and Mexico. Jersey City Children's Theater currently partners with dozens of New Jersey and New York schools and organizations developing community-specific enrichment programs both during and after-school.